Thursday, September 29, 2011

Happy Birthday Josh

It was Josh's 11th birthday yesterday!


Here he is, just chillin', playing his new Pokemon game on his DS while watching something on YouTube. Who said males can't multitask?!

We had what was, in my humble opinion, a great day! Relaxing and fun.


Josh wanted to go ice skating for his birthday outing. In my house, the kids take turns having birthday parties. This year it was Alana's turn, which means that Josh got to choose a fun family outing instead. He and Alana had a lot of fun on the ice while I tried to stave off frostbite with a cappuccino from the "cafe". I'm not even kidding. I wore a scarf and gloves and still my fingers and toes went numb. One of my fingers in particular went an alarming shade of grey! Luckily I appear to have no lasting injuries...

After skating we came home and just hung out playing with toys and games.


When Chris got home from work we went out to dinner at Gourmet Pizza Kitchen - Josh's favourite.


We had a fantastic time at dinner - laughing the whole time. I love these guys!


Happy Birthday Josh!

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Lurking in the corner? Leave me a comment :)

Hey there.

Who are you, my lovely reader?

What makes you tick?

What do you love? Hate?

What posts of mine make you think? Laugh? Cry?

Part of the reason that I blog is the sense of having an audience. A readership. And unlike other writing forums, in which the readership is largely silent and unknown, when I blog I know that my readers can continue the conversation. They can talk back. Easily. Immediately.

That's what the comments are for.

Now I won't lie to you. Of course it's great when I receive a positive response in which the reader lets me know that they enjoyed what I wrote. I enjoy words of affirmation probably more than the next person. It's my "love language"; how I express my love to others and how I like to receive love. So praise me - please!

But really I'd just like to know that you're out there. And get to know you a little.

So please, if you read anything on this blog that touches you or angers you or makes you question something or interests you; if you have comments, criticism or questions; then leave me a comment.

I receive an email every time someone leaves a comment on my blog. I then reply directly to the comment via email. I love to have these little conversations! 

If you use Blogger to write your own blog then you need to ensure that you have checked the box on your profile that says "show my email address". Otherwise I won't be able to email you back because Blogger will just use a generic "no reply" address to email me your comment. Confused yet? If a comment is emailed to me from a "no reply" address, then I can't reply. The only way I can continue the conversation is by leaving a comment under your comment on the original blog post that you commented on. Which assumes that you're going to come back later and read that post's comments again just in case I replied to you. Which is a bit messy, isn't it?

If you don't use Blogger then to be honest I'm not sure how it works! So if you want to leave me a comment then we'll find out together!

I hope you don't think I'm too lame, begging for comments. I just really love to exchange ideas and share with others. And I hope that you do too.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

By the end of this post I feel better

Hey there.

I got nothing people. Nothing.

I'm literally forcing myself to write in the hope that some inspiration will strike. 

I haven't written anything lately because I've had nothing to say. Simple really.

Why haven't I got anything to say? I don't know.

Life has been frolicking along as usual. It's school holidays here and we've had a ballet eisteddfod and it's Josh's birthday tomorrow and I've got a list as long as my arm of "things to do"...

...And no motivation for anything.

Deep breath.

I've been here before. When I get tired I'm susceptible to depression. That's just something I've learned about myself. And a "red flag" that indicates that I might be heading down that road is when I can't find the motivation to do things that I usually find fun. 

Aha! I think we've gotten to the bottom of things now.

What now?

Thankfully, over the past few years I've developed a "box of tricks" to put into action when I feel myself starting on the downward slide. I'd like to share them with you.

1. I am my own best friend. I love myself and care for myself.

The important thing for me to remember is to not wait for someone else to take care of me. By all means, I should speak up and tell those close to me what I need. I should ask for help. And because I have awesome people around me, I will receive love and care. But I must not wait passively, hoping that others will notice that I need a bit of extra care. And I must not rely on others to provide me with all the love and care that I need.

I must put on my "big girl pants" and think about what I really need and make it happen. I'm an adult and it's my job to say "yes" or "no" to things as is appropriate to my needs. It's my job to make my needs my first priority. I'm no good to anyone else unless I'm healthy and happy.

2. What feels good in the moment isn't always good for me.

It's tempting when I'm feeling a bit down to try to pick myself up by spending money or eating lots of chocolate or hibernating. And although I can kid myself that I'm giving myself a much deserved treat, these things don't really make me feel any better. Again, it's time for the "big girl pants" and a sensible approach to what will really make me feel good. As boring as it might sound, eating healthy foods and exercising and getting amongst it with friends and activities are actually the things that feel good in the long term. I very much enjoy a glass of wine, but when I'm pouring myself a glass every night I know that the alarm bells are sounding.

3. Writing helps me to work through what I'm thinking and feeling.

Everyone's different. Maybe writing isn't your thing, but it works for me. I don't always do it this way, in a public forum. I keep a journal beside my bed, and I find it helpful to write last thing at night or first thing in the morning. Just like in this blog post, I find that even if I start off not knowing what I'm going to write about, I always find that as the page gets filled, my thoughts and feelings unravel before me and start to make sense. 

Guess what? I feel better now. Ready to face my "to do" list.

I think I might take the dog for a walk and get some fresh air.

*** This post has been a bit like doing therapy in public. I hope I haven't overshared. I also hope that this post may have helped you in some way. ***

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Quote

Love this quote and it couldn't be more true!~

"The only place that success comes before work is in the dictionary."

Vidal Sassoon

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Lost: one woman's mojo

It's been a strange week.

This time last week I had just finished my last day of work at the uni library. I had worked four days a week for  seven weeks. 

It was a great experience. A foot in the door. A fabulous opportunity. 

And I actually enjoyed the work. It provided me with just the right amount of challenge. The hours were great. The people were nice. No down side.

And yet, when it finished I was looking forward to having more free time. To blogging more. To getting back into my much neglected Twitter account. To reading. Pottering about the house. 

You get the drift.

Somehow, it just hasn't lived up to what I was expecting.

I've been grumpy. I haven't felt like I've achieved anything even though I've been racing around like a blue-tailed fly. What's with that?

I obviously  haven't transitioned very smoothly back into my "normal" routine.

As I write I am enjoying a glass of "chardy" and planning to hop into a lovely deep hot bath. With a book.

Wish me luck in finding my mojo.




Sunday, September 18, 2011

Her 25th Birthday... =)


Celebrated Shoel's 25th @ Sg Flyer & Crystal Jade Xiao Long Bao Holland V...


Shoel @ Sg Flyer


You know, we are always finding our perfect angle in camera shots. LoL.


Hazy Singapore sia. All thanks to our Indo ah bangs burning down the forest. Aye, save the earth bangs!


Finally got a nice shot..


Vroom Vroom! Singapore F1, coming soon yea.


Nice sky shots.


Another...


Saw someone using his unique way to capture the Spore essence from flyer... wow.


Trying to upload "live" moments through my HTC sensation...


Then...we head on to Crystal Jade Xiao Long Bao @ Holland V for our dinner...


Xiao Long Bao buffet! Nom Nom Nom, I had a total of 20+ XLBs.


Fried Man Tous!


Our buffet steamboat...


The uncooked prawns...


Look, it's turning red!


Done! Abit small though. Thought I was thinking "Heh Bi"


Shoel and her birthday present...


Polaroids...


Happy Birthday, Dear. =)

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Photos of summer salads

I accidentally published my previous post a bit early. For recipes, click here.

I meant to add some photos.

Here is my Green Bean Salad.


It turned out yummy, and tasted pretty much exactly like the one at ate at the cafe. So yay for me and my awesome palate and for being able to work out a recipe after eating a dish just once. Maybe I should consider auditioning for Masterchef!

Here is the Warm Potato Salad.


Roast Potato and Bacon


Adding the dressing...


The finished product.

And it tasted just as yummy as I remembered it.

A great success all round :)

Friday, September 16, 2011

For the first time in what seems like ages, I've been doing some creative cooking today.

The weather is warm enough for a barbie for dinner and so I'm experimenting with a couple of salads to go with our steak. Mmmmm steak...

The first salad I'm calling Green Bean Salad. It was inspired by something I ate at a cafe near me. As soon as I began eating I knew that it was something I would try to recreate at home. It just seemed so perfect for the warmer weather and was a treat for the senses - the crunch of the beans complemented by the creaminess of the avocado; the peppery-ness of the rocket a perfect foil for the sweetness of the mango. 

I'm sharing the "recipe" below, but be warned! I fly by the seat of my pants when it comes to cooking. I've created my own version of the dish based only on my experience of eating it once. I may need to tweak the recipe a bit for next time. 

Ingredients
A couple of big handfuls of raw green beans, topped and tailed and cut into two-inch pieces.
A couple of big handfuls of baby rocket.
Half a large red capsicum, sliced as finely as possible.
Half a spanish onion, sliced as finely as possible.
A large avocado cut into small chunks.
A large mango cut into small chunks.
A drizzle of red wine vinegar.
A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Method
Toss the beans, rocket, capsicum and onion in a salad bowl.
Dress with vinegar first, then oil.
Gently toss through avocado and mango just before serving.

The second salad is one that my sister served us recently. I helped her make it that day, so though I didn't have the recipe in front of me when I made it today, at least I had a fairly good idea of what went into it. Here's my version of Warm Potato Salad.

Ingredients
Enough new potatoes for everyone, cut into bite-size chunks. (I used about 750 grams. I didn't actually weigh them. I'm just guessing.)
A generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Diced bacon. (I used four short-cut rindless rashers.)
About half a cup of whole egg mayonnaise.
About a quarter of a cup of sour cream. (I used "light". Who was I kidding?)
Three good teaspoons of wholegrain mustard.

Method
Fry the bacon.
Put the potatoes into a baking dish and toss in the oil. Sprinkle the bacon over.
Bake the potatoes in a hot oven for 40 minutes, tossing halfway through cooking time.
Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream and mustard for the dressing.
Put the cooked potatoes into a serving dish and dress immediately.
Allow the salad to cool a little before serving.
Can be refrigerated and served cold.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Tatsumi Gala Premiere - Opens 15th September 11 @ GV Grand & GV Plaza


Attended Tatsumi Gala Premiere last weekend together with Shoel, @ GV Grand.Was really a great pleasure to meet the director, Eric Khoo and Yoshihiro Tatsumi San, the artist who gave life to the characters in the movie.


Catch the preview here!


Synopsis:

TATSUMI celebrates the life and work of Japanese comics artist Yoshihiro Tatsumi. In post-war occupied Japan, young Tatsumi’s passion for comics eventually becomes a means of supporting his poor family. Already published as a teenager, talented Tatsumi finds even greater inspiration after meeting his idol,famous Disneyesque animator Osamu Tezuka. Despite his steady success, Tatsumi begins to question why Japanese comics should cater to children with cute and whimsical tales and drawings. In 1957,Tatsumi coins the term gekiga (dramatic pictures) and redefines the manga landscape by encouraging an alternative genre for adults. Realistic and disquieting, Tatsumi’s work begins to grapple with the darker aspects of life…

In the late 1950s, Yoshiro Tatsumi pioneered a breakthrough in Japanese comics, elevating the genre to a whole new level of creative expression influenced by adult themes. A tribute to an artist who sought to make comics cinematic, Eric Khoo’s animated feature TATSUMI brings the manga legend’s classic stories to the big screen for the first time.



Tatsumi San in action!


Another of him...


A few lucky winners who had received his drawings...


If you see clearly, it actually features one of the characters in the movie...


Another winner, seen here with Japanese actor, Tetsuya Bessho San, who's also the voice over for many characters in the movie.


A close up on Tatsumi san's artwork...lucky dude!


Thanks to GG talents for the media invitation!


Shoel and myself...

Some of the short stories featured are as follows...


" I have been a massive fan of the short stories of Yoshihiro Tatsumi for over two decades
and I was overwhelmed after reading his 800-page autobiography, “A Drifting Life”. His life story was inspirational. I was extremely moved by the love and passion he has for his craft, and the trials and tribulations he went through in pursuit of it. At the back of the lovingly illustrated tome, I saw a photograph of the man himself, resting his cheeks in his palms. For many nights after that, his face appeared in my mind and I felt restless… and inspired. I felt compelled to re-read his short stories that were written in the late sixties and seventies. And the sense of wonderment and awe that enveloped me when I first read them all those years ago returned. Not only is Yoshihiro Tatsumi a consummate storyteller, he is also a brutally astute and honest observer of love, life and the human condition. And these observations remain as haunting and disturbing today. " - Mr. Eric Khoo


Pay special attention to the music in this movie... because it's composed by Mr. Eric Khoo's 13 year old son, Christopher!


According to Mr. Khoo, the stories used in TATSUMI are an example of how adult-oriented his
work was then, and very risqué for the 70s. They were far from the usual kiddie manga fare. These stories were so controversial and shocked many back then. But there was also a growing number of alternative readers who fell in love with the stories he was telling in true gekiga fashion. Even writer Yukio Mishima was a fan of this new bold form of storytelling.


" .... I had hit the wall and was out of ideas until a friend passed me Mr. Tatsumi’s book Good -bye . I read it in one sitting. I was totally inspired and I was able to churn out all the stories for my book in two weeks...." - Mr. Eric Khoo


"....I love Mr. Tatsumi’s characters because they tend to be so everyday and
realistic. There is something so dark and sad and beautiful in his work. And there is so much creativity riding through his very original story lines that are timeless because they deal with the human condition in a very unique way. I love how the intriguing story of Hell unfolds, slowly sucking you in. Beloved Monkey is probably the saddest story in the collection, and it happens to be Mr. Tatsumi’s favourite story featured in the film. Just a Man has everything all rolled up into one – humour, grief, drama. The protagonist in this story is a sad loser that you just want to champion for. The idea of being inspired by pornographic graffiti in Occupied really got me going! I think that Tatsumi’s Good -bye is the boldest and hardest story of them all. It is beautifully tragic and twisted. Because of its impact on me when I first read it over two decades ago, I decided to leave it as the last story for the film...." - Director, Mr. Eric Khoo



Mr. Eric Khoo wanted Tatsumi san to do the voiceover for his life chapters as he felt that this would give more meaning and also it could cover more ground from Tatsumi san's heart. He’s a very shy and humble man, so it took a lot of nagging for him to agree. Japanese actor Tetsuya Bessho brought the film to another level with his incredible voice projections. He’s a very versatile theatre actor as well, and thus he was able to play many roles: two characters in Hell – the lead and the sick son, the lead in Beloved monkey , the narrator for Just a Man , and the lead in Occupied , as well as the publisher who fires him.

Personally, Tatsumi gave me another approach to animae. The theme would suit more appropriate for the mature audiences, who's able to give some thoughts to the story after the movie. Some of the short stories actually outline some problems that occur in society today, and many times, the downfall is brought about by many negligences.

Out of the few short stories, I will go for "Hell" .
Overall, giving this show 3 out of 5 stars. =)



Catch this clip for more behind the scenes!

About the Artist:

Yoshihiro Tatsumi, born in 1935, is a Japanese comics artist who is credited with founding the gekiga style of alternative adult comics in Japan, having coined the term in 1957. Gekiga (literally “dramatic pictures”) evolved and found mainstream acceptance by the 1970s, and has greatly influenced the manga landscape and comics artistry worldwide. The New York Times has hailed Tatsumi as “one of Japan’s most important visual artists“, and Time Magazine described his work as “tales of desperation that achieve a poetic sense of despair”. His work has been translated into 17 languages. In 2010, Tatsumi’s autobiographic graphic novel, “A Drifting Life“, won him multiple Eisner Awards, one of the comics world’s highest honors. His monumental memoir begins with his experiences as a child in Osaka and follows him growing up as part of a
country burdened by the shadows of World War II. Spanning fifteen years, from 1945 to 1960, the book chronicles how, as a child, Tatsumi had to face his father’s financial burdens and his parents’ failing marriage, his jealous brother’s deteriorating health, and the innumerable obstacles that awaited him in the competitive manga market. He dreams of following in the giant footsteps of his idol, manga artist Osamu Tezuka (Astro Boy), with whom Tatsumi eventually became peers and, at times, stylistic rivals. As a boy, Yoshihiro Tatsumi loved movies and harboured ambitions of becoming a director. But he preferred to sit alone facing a
wall, making the stories that he dreamt up come alive on paper. Tatsumi’s imagination was constantly stirred and inspired by the many movies he saw, and by the mystery novels he read. This spurred him to experiment with frames, perspectives and angles in his comics, to imbue psychological and dramatic depth to characters and stories. Classic Tatsumi collections include “Black Blizzard”, “Good-Bye and Other Stories”, “Abandon the Old in Tokyo” and “The Push Man and Other Stories”.

About the Director:

TATSUMI marks Eric Khoo’s return to Cannes after his last feature MY MAGIC was presented in Competition in 2008. Eric put Singapore on the international film map with his first feature film MEE POK MAN (1995), picking up prizes at Fukuoka, Pusan and Singapore. His second feature 12 STOREYS (1997) won several awards including the Golden Maile Award for Best Picture at the 17th Hawaii International Film Festival. 12 STOREYS was also the first Singaporean film to be invited officially to participate in the Cannes Film Festival. MEE POK MAN and 12 STOREYS have together been screened at over 60 film festivals, including Venice, Berlin and Rotterdam. Eric’s third feature BE WITH ME was selected as the opening film for the Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes 2005. The film has since won several awards overseas and has been invited to numerous festivals, including Toronto, Telluride and Pusan. In 2006 Eric was invited to direct for the Jeonju Digital Film Festival in Korea – No Day Off , the story of an Indonesian maid. Eric is a recipient of Singapore’s highest arts honor: the Cultural Medallion by the President, and in 2008, he was awarded the “Chevalier de l’ordre des arts et des letters” from the French Minister of Culture. Since 2007, Eric has been a board member of NYU Tisch School of the Arts Asia.

2011 TATSUMI
2009 Boo Junfeng’s SANDCASTLE (producer)
2008 MY MAGIC
2007 Royston Tan’s 881 (producer)
2006 NO DAY OFF (segment of omnibus feature DIGITAL SAM IN SAM SAEK 2006:
TALK TO HER)
2005 Royston Tan’s 4:30 (producer)
2005 BE WITH ME
2003 Royston Tan’s 15 (producer)
2001 Khoo Koh’s ONE LEG KICKING (producer)
1999 Bee Lian Teng’s LIANG PO PO (producer)
1997 12 STOREYS 1995 MEE POK MAN

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Braving bare legs with body bronzer

Spring weather is very unpredictable where I live.

One minute you're enjoying wearing a short skirt with bare legs and stressing about the whiteness of said bare legs. The next you're layering up with jeans and cardigans.

The other day we had an awesome warm springish day and I decided to bite the bullet and wear a skirt with no stockings, tights or other leg covering materials. I'm super brave like that now!


I just needed a little something to give me the confidence to bare my legs, so I decided to give some Le Tan Body Bronzer a go. It's like make-up for your body. You can click on the link to visit Le Tan's website and check out the product for yourself. I didn't receive any for free or anything. I'm not being paid or compensated to write this post. I just like to share information when I can.

I applied the lotion generously to my legs and then washed my hands with soap and water to avoid having bronzed sparkly hands all day. My legs looked pleasantly golden with a little bit of a shimmer. I was a little bit worried about the shimmer to be honest. I work in a library and I didn't want my legs to look like they were dressed for the disco! It wasn't a problem, however, because the shimmer is subtle and only really shows up under strong light. Out in the sunshine I glittered a little, but not enough to look like I was auditioning for a role in a Twilight movie!

The bronzer stayed put on my legs all day and didn't rub off onto my clothes. When I showered it washed right off with soap and water. I think I'm a convert now!

Do you have any little tricks that give you a bit more confidence to face the world? I'd love to hear them.

And if Le Tan want to send me a truckload of Body Bronzer I'm happy to receive it!

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

NAHA Awards

NAHA, (North American Hairstylists Awards), is the hairstylist version of the Oscars. It's where bright new talent as well as experienced talent is all brought together and artists are recognized for their creative abilities. It's of the biggest trade shows of the year and it is held in Vegas. There are 13 different categories in which a hairstylist/makeup artist can submit their work. Categories range from Avant Garde, Texture, Hair Color to Master Stylist; It covers everything. There is so much planning and detail that goes into these shots. Everyone pours their heart and soul into these images and you can most definitely tell.

This all took place in mid July. I'm a little late but still I think these artists' work need to be shared. For those of you who read this blog and don't do hair for a living, this is art in it's truest form. For those who are in the beauty industry, I hope you are inspired by some of the pictures below. Enjoy scrolling thru these...Amazing work! Bravo to all the stylists who came in top 5 as well as the winners!


 {Haircolor}
Winner: Dimitrios Tsioumas
NY, NY

Before

After


{Hairstylist of the Year}
Winner: Eli Mancha
Chicago, IL




{Avant Garde}
Winner: Jake Thompson
Salt Lake City, UT



{Master Stylist}
Winner: Kris Sorbie
NY, NY





{Contemporary Classic}
Winner: Simon Chercuttie
Montreal, QB

{all photos courtesy of Probeauty.org}


These are just a few of the many artists that submitted their work in each category. 
If you would like to see more of each artists submissions, please click here.

Have a wonderful day!

Xoxo,
Jaclyn

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